Alderman Ameya Pawar's vision of highlighting the works of local artists in his office has been realized through the OpenWall Chicago initiative directed by Patricia Larkin Green. Every quarter the OpenWall Chicago committee determines a theme, then displays artwork in this public space. The current exhibit, Welcome Home, features the artwork of eight veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who live and work in the 47th Ward. Featured artists are Jasmine Clark, Stuart Hall, Mike Helbing, Jeanine Hill-Soldner, Patrick Kerrigan, Dennis Paterka, Patrick Gale Putze and Piotr Wolodkowicz. The show is curated by Thomas Gianni and Bill Moran and runs through November 30.

The public is invited to mingle with the alderman and his staff, the local community and the artists to discuss their works at the opening reception on Sunday, October 19, from 12:30 to 3:00. Kevin Barszcz, founder and marketing director of Chicago Vets, will give a talk at the reception. Chicago Vets is a non-profit organization that helps Chicago-area service members and their families' transition back to civilian life. To learn more about the artists and the event, please check out the OpenWall Chicago website at www.openwallchicago.org and leave your comments.

The 47th Ward is participating in Open House Chicago 2014! Join the Chicago Architecture Foundation the weekend of October 18-19 for the largest free architecture and urban exploration festival in the city of Chicago. For the very first time, several of Lincoln Square and Ravenswood's coolest places and spaces will be included in the 150+ participating sites across the entire city. Have you ever wanted to get inside Louis Sullivan's Krause Music Store building on Lincoln Avenue? Did you know there is a private club room at DANK Haus? And what's the deal with that Airstream trailer on a rooftop near the Montrose Brown Line stop? This is your chance to get inside and find out for yourself!

Check out the full site list at www.openhousechicago.org. Did we mention it's free?

Join the Northcenter Chamber of Commerce for this culinary exploration of Northcenter! Guests will visit participating restaurants for a sample of our neighborhood's most delicious dishes on this one-night-only event. Get your tasting passport or check back here soon for the whole mouth-watering menu.

Explore your neighborhood, rack up stamps on your tasting passport and try each signature dish or drink our local restaurants have to offer, and you'll see why Northcenter is a destination neighborhood for diverse and delicious cuisine and nightlife. 

 

WHAT: Be a part of river revitalization by joining an inspiring movement of volunteers gathering to restore five special sites along the Chicago and Calumet Rivers. In partnership with the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Friends of the Chicago River and Friends of the Forest Preserves are recruiting Centennial Volunteers to become a part of a community of like-minded individuals who are not afraid to get dirty, get some exercise and have fun outside. Celebrate our rivers and the 100th anniversary of the Forest Preserves of Cook County by volunteering at a site along the Chicago River system.

Volunteers will learn more about our forest preserves, enjoy a natural area close to home, and make a tangible difference to our local environment. Volunteers will also will be trained by experts in restoration and resource management and be involved in regular volunteer days on the weekends throughout the year.

Interested? Please go to www.fpdcc.com/cv to sign up.

The Arts Scene is a concert series at Queen of Angels church located in Lincoln Square. (2330 W. Sunnyside) It will feature quality artists from Chicago and beyond bringing a wide range of sacred and secular music. Concerts will include solo and vocal ensembles, instrumental concerts, organ recitals on the historic Möller organ and the Christmas Festival featuring the choirs of Queen of Angels performing The Messiah, and various collegiate choirs. There is no cost for the series but free will donations will be accepted at the door. For more information or to join our mailing list contact: music@queenofangelschicago.org

Saturday November 8th at 7:30

Tuesday December 2nd at 7:30

Chicago Soundings a local composer consortium who create programs of contemporary solo, vocal, chamber, and new music.

Sunday December 14th at 7:00
Queen of Angels Choirs will present Handel's Messiah and several other smaller works in their 2014 Christmas Concert. Featuring the Queen of Angels Choristers, Cherub Choir and the Adult Choir with soloists from the Schola Angelorum.

Amundsen High School

Friends of Amundsen Open Meeting

Friends of Amundsen will hold an open meeting Tuesday, October 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Amundsen High School library. Enter through the Main doors on Damen (5110 N. Damen). This is a great opportunity to get involved at Amundsen High School! On the meeting's agenda: a fall building spruce-up, planning for the remainder of the school year, a feeder school track-and-field day and more. Everyone is invited!

Ravenswood School

Tours

Ravenswood School offers a comprehensive school tour on the second Tuesday of every month that school is in session. We'll gather at 9 a.m. in the multi-purpose room, grab a cup of coffee and set off to observe classrooms, discuss the curriculum and learn what makes Ravenswood School a truly hidden gem. Mr. Manaen, Ravenswood School principal, will meet with prospective parents for an open question-and-answer session following the tour. No reservations needed! Enter through the middle doors on Paulina.

Fall tour dates include:

Tuesday, October 14 @ 9 a.m.

Tuesday, November 18 @ 9 a.m. (moved a week later due to non-attendance on Veteran's Day)

Tuesday, December 9 @ 9 a.m.

Audubon School

North Park Elementary School

St. Benedict School

Explore Our Unique PK-12 Catholic, College Prep Campus!

St. Benedict Preparatory School, at Irving Park Rd and Leavitt Street, is the only PK-grade 12 Catholic, co-educational parish school in the Archdiocese of Chicago. We offer a unique college prep program in a welcoming, inclusive, diverse community. Tours of SBPS are conducted weekly or scheduled at your convenience.

Upcoming dates: August 15 and September 19 from 3-5pm

If you know anyone who needs assistance, please pass this along.

 http://chicagokidicalmass.org  

Sulzer needs your old games.  Thanks to our neighbors who have donated games for the Sulzer's Game Night!  If you have games that your family no longer uses, please bring them to the 47th Ward Office or to Sulzer Library. Their ever-popular "Game Night" could use a few more board games like Sorry, Chess, Life, Uno, Jenga, Rummy Cube, etc.    

Needed! Old towels and blankets, please. The dogs and cats awaiting forever homes at Animal Care & Control need your old towels and blankets.  Please clean out your linen closets and bring the items to the Alderman's office Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. We know they will be greatly appreciated.

Check out the infrastructure map on our website. 

LV2 Notes - Information regarding when and where to obtain LV2 parking permits for next season (2015) will be distributed by our office in late March.

Update on new street light projects funded through the Cubs

Construction in progress:

• Greenview from Grace to Irving Park
• Janssen from Grace to Irving Park

The remainder of street lights funded through the Cubs are in the design/permitting process:

• Greenview from Addison to Grace
• Janssen from Addison to Grace
• Byron from Clark to Ashland

Lawrence Avenue Streetscape  

• Street paving on Lawrence between Ravenswood and Clark is expected to be performed the week of October 20th.  The street will be milled, paved, and striped.  The new crosswalks will be installed after the street has been resurfaced. The stretch between Western and Ravenswood has been completed and thermoplastic striping and stamped asphalt crosswalk markings have been installed along this stretch. As always, pay close attention to parking restrictions.
• New pedestrian refuge islands (including ADA compliant ramps) have been installed along the entire stretch between Western and Clark. ADA ramps are being installed to line up with the street crossings at the pedestrian islands.
• Sidewalk and curb/gutter replacement is being finished up along the last stretch, which is on the south side of Lawrence between Ravenswood and Clark.  Ramps, carriage walks, and bus pads will be poured and brick pavers will be installed this month.
• Bike racks, chairs, trash receptacles, and benches are scheduled to be installed next week.
• Sewer and electrical work continues along the corridor. Most of the new street light poles have been installed and old poles have been removed.
• Landscaping work for fall plantings in Claremont Plaza and elsewhere between Western and Damen began this week and will continue.  Plantings between Damen and Clark will be performed in the spring.  Additional punch list items will also be addressed in the spring.

Water Main Replacement for Ashland Avenue between Irving Park and Lawrence

Contractors working with the Dept. of Water Management are replacing the water mains from 1897 under Ashland Avenue from Irving Park to Lawrence.   

Phase 3 (southbound between Lawrence and Montrose) began prep work today. A FULL Closure of southbound traffic between Lawrence and Montrose will begin on Monday, October 13th.  The southbound lanes will be closed M-F from 7am to 8pm while crews install the new water main.  The designated detour is Damen via Lawrence Avenue.  Please follow all detour signs and avoid travel in the area, if possible. 

Phases 1 & 2(northbound between Irving Park and Lawrence) are reopen and crews will begin resurfacing next week.  Parking restrictions will be in effect along with lane shifts during the resurfacing work. Resurfacing will take place from 7am to 4pm, and is expected to be finished by 10/24. 

Wilson Avenue is open 7a to 9a and 4p to 6p to help alleviate rush hour impacts. 

Thank you for your patience. For more information on this project, please click here.

Water Main Replacement for Berteau from Damen to Bell

Contractors working with the Dept. of Water Management are replacing the water main from 1894 under Berteau Avenue between Damen and Bell. Parking restrictions and road closures are in effect, where posted, M-F from 7am  to 4pm.  The project is expected to be completed by December 2014 with street resurfacing and landscape restoration following in Spring 2015.  For more information on this project, please click here. 

Sewer Main Replacement for Rockwell between Sunnyside and Wilson

Contractors working with the Dept. of Water Management are replacing the sewer main under Rockwell from Sunnyside to Wilson. This work is in advance of the water main project starting October 20th. 

Water Mains Coming Soon:

Rockwell (Montrose to Lawrence): Starting week of October 20th. More information here.

Eastwood (Virginia to Western): Starting week of October 20th. More information here. 

• Leland Ave IS OPEN!
• Ravenswood (west side) from Lawrence to Leland Ave IS OPEN!
• Ravenswood (west side) between Wilson and Sunnyside Restoration work continues along the 4500 block as the brick surface is restored.

• METRA Phase II: Design and engineering for improvements on the east side of the tracks will be starting soon and will be put out to bid once complete.  Construction is currently expected to start in Fall 2015 and will last 18 months.

For more information, visit the infrastructure section of our website or contact Jim Poole at jim@chicago47.org or 773-549-4462.